War heats up as Trump targets civilian sites

• The US has begun its desperate escalation attacks on mostly civilian targets inside Iran. A total of 5-6 bridges in Hormozgan province were targeted; The Griveh bridge, connecting Bandar Abbas, Khmeir, and Lar; The bridge after the village of Latidan (Kalmatli), on the return route from Bandar Abbas, Khmeir, and Lar.; 2 bridges on the route to Kahorstan, Lar; The unfinished bridge, connecting Bandar Khmeir, Keshvar, and Bandar Abbas; The bridge in the village of Maro, in the Khmeir county; Chabahar maritime tower was targeted (again) and destroyed by the US; A railway station, west of Bandar Abbas; Civilian airport in Iranshahr, southeastern Iran.

• The US refueling tankers and other support aircraft are now unable to land in Qatar's Al Udeid and Jordan's Mwafaq al-Salti due to the Iranian ballistic missile strikes.
• Footage shows how the US Patriot system failed to intercept the Iranian missiles, which caused them to strike intended targets inside King Faisal AB in Jordan, hitting US forces accommodation places. [Notice when the Patriot interceptors fail they fall back to the ground and hit other facilities on/near the US military base.] 

• The IRGC launched a heavy and surprising attack on the US Al-Udeid Air Base, in Qatar. As a result, one long-range radar system and several US strategic refueling aircrafts were completely destroyed, while several others sustained significant damage.
• Iranian missiles/drones struck: A US oilfield service company, Halliburton, logistics warehouse in Kuwait’s Mina Abdullah industrial zone was completely destroyed. A munitions storage warehouse complex at the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar was also hit.
• Sputnik: Iran is freely targeting US barracks, logistics bases and Air Force facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain using Arash heavy drones. Lack of effective resistance on the US’ part signals that whatever efforts the Pentagon took to restore regional capabilities (like transferring THAAD from South Korea) proved insufficient. Relentless Iranian attacks on US-operated bases in the region generally complicate US operations against Iran that rely on them, and force the US to expend significant forces and resources to protect them. Some of the bases nearest to Iran are now causing more problems for the US than they're worth. For example, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar was the largest US airbase in the region, but now the US has been forced to evacuate most of its aircraft because it's too dangerous to keep them there.

• Fishermen fished out an intercepted LUCAS drone, a US-copy of the Iranian Shahed-136 drone. 

• Brent prices jump 2 percent to more than $85 per barrel amid continued US-Iran escalation.
• Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: Full control of the Strait of Hormuz remains in the hands of our fighters, and as long as the US attacks continue, not a drop of oil or gas will be exported from this region.
• Iran targeted the King Fahd Causeway linking Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. This is in retaliation for US hitting numerous Iranian bridges that lead to its oil producing/storage islands.

• The UK has made it illegal with prison up to 14 years if you support the official military body of Iran. But you’re still free to support the broadly recognised genocidal army responsible for generation killing, the IDF.
• One clown replaces another: Andy Burnham has been announced as the new leader of the Labour Party and will take office as Prime Minister of the UK on Monday, July 20.
• The Israeli Knesset has voted to dissolve parliament overnight, sending Israel into early elections amid deepening internal political divisions and growing pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. The move ends the current parliamentary term and sets the stage for elections scheduled for October 27, with Netanyahu facing mounting scrutiny over his government’s handling of the war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, as well as his long-running corruption trials.

• El Mayadeen English: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim: “If we find any Israeli national, we will deport them immediately because we do not recognise Israel.”
• BBC’s Vitali Shevchenko: Explains how “Ukrainian patriotism” is nothing but a myth. The problem is that Ukrainians do not want to die in the war.  

• Forum Geopolitica by Peter Hanseler: The NATO summit sent a message that no one wants to hear. Europe is openly declaring war on Russia – and it’s doing so with Trump’s full support. Almost all of the weapons used by Ukraine in this war are supplied by Europe and the US. However, many of them cannot be deployed without NATO personnel in Ukraine or at one of NATO’s bases, and cannot find their targets in Russia without satellite support from the US. It is therefore misleading to speak of a conflict between Ukraine and Russia here: Europe, with the active support of the US, is waging war against Russia. While this took place covertly until recently, the aggressors are now proudly flaunting their direct involvement. Russia “will no longer believe the West that it wants negotiated solutions” because “this reserve of goodwill and hope has been exhausted entirely”, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, 9th July, 2026.  

• Trump stated that a number of countries allegedly have the ability to interfere with the American electoral system. Among the "adversaries of the US," he named Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, as well as stated risks to election infrastructure. [He is preparing to create the fear and 'justification' to toy with the election computers in the coming November national congressional elections because he fears the Republicans will be thrown out of power. He has no respect for 'democracy'.] China stated “China has never interfered and will never interfere in the elections in the US,” via embassy spokesman. Russia as well denied any interference as did Iran. Note in this video Trump says these nations have the 'capability'.  Word games. 

• Reuters: Pakistan is in negotiations with Kuwait regarding a broad defense agreement in exchange for cooperation in the fields of energy and investment. Any defense agreement with Kuwait, which has been subjected to attacks from Iran this year, would raise questions about Pakistan's role in future mediation between the US and Iran. Many of the US attacks on Iran come from its bases in Kuwait.